Leonardo 2012: The Picture

Flavia Elphick-Smith won the Year 9  Leonardo Prize on Wednesday, 27 June, for her poem, The Picture.


’Till death do us part:
A picture,
Two figures, hand in hand, a visible love,
Shared by many.
This photo
Permeates the mind of its audience
The poetic vows radiate through the framework
She, a dark-haired beauty
He, a gentleman of the finest.

Their love like a label,
Easily torn
Easily mended
Thirty years gone,
An invisible pair occurs,
Both broken-hearted
The ghosts of their minds
Only to be wounded by the truth.
This was not unrequited love
Just love weakened.

Their friendship exposed
By the breaking of their relationship,
Aching for an outlet
She, not to return in the same way.
The boxes move in,
The tears roll out.
Here I am. I feel
No better
No worse
But stronger.

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